


Red

by orphan_account



Category: Newsies (1992)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-16
Updated: 2014-04-16
Packaged: 2018-01-19 14:50:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1473757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Medda talks to a very young Jack Kelly</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red

"Frank Sullivan was here."

Medda stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Why? What’d he want?"

Lottie shrugged, disinterested. “His brat’s missing. Wanted to know if you’d seen ‘im.”

“ _Francis?_ " Medda blurted out in geniune confusion. Out of all the things she’d been expecting to hear, that hadn’t even made the list. "Francis disappears for _days_ on end and Frank never cares. He can take care of himself. Did something happen? Did he say?”

She shrugged again, examining her fingernails. “Didn’t tell _me_ nothin’."

——

There ought to have been some sort of rule about how many surprises were allowed in one day, but clearly such a rule was not yet in place, as Medda nearly stepped on the next one when she walked into the prop storage room.

She covered her alarm with a sweeping curtsy. “Francis. Always a pleasure.”

The boy’s eyes were wide as he twisted a red bandana around and around his hands.

Medda knelt down next to him. “You know your pop’s looking for you, right?” she asked gently.

"Yeah?" he said, glaring. "So?"

"Are you hiding from him or something?"

"Mind your own business, lady," Francis said, scowling as he turned away.

Medda rolled her eyes. How old was this kid, anyway? Seven?

"You sound just like him." She scoffed. "Your father, I mean."

" _I do not!_ " he yelled, throwing the bandana down. "And I’m not _hiding_ , I’m just _waiting_.”

Medda raised an eyebrow.

"…ma’am," he added, flushing red. He picked the bandana back up and wound it around his fingers. "And I suppose … I should probably be going anyway."

He stood to leave, tossing the bandana down on top of a barrel where he’d found it, but Medda caught him by the arm.

"If you need to hang around here for a little while longer, it’s more comfortable up in the balcony seats. Anyone asks, you tell ‘em you’re with me."

Francis nodded, biting his lower lip. “Thanks, Miss.”

"Oh, and hey kid?" She picked up the red bandana and tossed it to him. "You can keep it, if you like it so much."


End file.
